Mobility
Apple Watch Series 12: S11 chip, high-precision health tracking, and Apple Intelligence
10.09.2026 • 10h50
During its traditional back-to-school keynote, Apple lifted the veil on the Apple Watch Series 12. A true “ace of hearts” for this 2026 vintage, according to its creator, this new connected watch is packed with technological innovations, featuring a powerful S11 chip designed for Apple Intelligence AI, streamlined 42 mm and 46 mm cases, and a completely redesigned health-tracking system for unprecedented accuracy.
In the wake of the new iPhones unveiled by the Cupertino-based company, the Apple Watch Series 12 establishes itself as the new flagship of the brand’s connected watch lineup. This year, the design evolves subtly by offering slightly larger cases of 42 mm and 46 mm, compared with 41 mm and 45 mm previously.
Apple Watch Series 12, materials and luminous peak
The new timepiece comes in three prestigious materials: aluminum (protected by a Ceramic Shield 2 glass), titanium, and the much-noticed return of ceramic (both topped with sapphire glass). The display is entrusted to a magnificent always-on Retina screen, using an LTPO3 wide-angle OLED panel capable of reaching an impressive peak brightness of 2,000 nits for perfect readability in full sunlight.
Apple Watch Series 12, S11 chip and the power of Apple Intelligence
At the heart of this Apple Watch Series 12 beats the brand-new S11 chip, a 64-bit dual-core processor supported by a four-core Neural Engine. This display of power makes it possible to embed Siri directly and the brand’s new generation of artificial intelligence, Apple Intelligence, for an ever more personalized and responsive user experience. On the ergonomics side, we note the arrival of a new one-handed gesture (touching the thumb with the index finger) to open and quickly navigate widgets due to the Smart Scroll feature when the user has their hands full.
Apple Watch Series 12, formidable heart health tracking
But the real tour de force of this Series 12 lies in its brand-new Health Tracking System. Redesigned with more powerful optical and electrical sensors (via larger, more energy-efficient green [abc]LED[/abc]s), it offers the most accurate heart rate measurement ever seen on a connected object. The watch now measures heart rate variability (HRV) every five minutes and performs background readings every five seconds. Result: 60 times more heart readings and 24 times more HRV measurements than on last year’s Series 11.
Apple Watch Series 12: readiness score, sleep apnea and hypertension
All this valuable biometric data powers the new Readiness app, which evaluates every morning your ability to tackle the day using a simple score based on your sleep quality, activity and vital signs. Naturally, it includes the major medical advances recently introduced by the manufacturer: the ECG app, sleep apnea detection, the detailed Sleep Score taking rest phases into account, as well as detection of signs of hypertension. The Apple Watch also retains its body temperature sensor (ideal for advanced cycle tracking) and its blood oxygen oxymeter.
Apple Watch Series 12, 24-hour battery life and 5G connectivity
In terms of endurance, the Apple Watch Series 12 builds on the previous model’s strengths by offering battery life of up to 24 hours in normal use, and up to 38 hours in low-power mode. Fast charging is still included, making it possible to recover 80% battery in around 30 minutes (or to guarantee 8 hours of use in just 15 minutes of charging). Finally, connectivity reaches a new level with the integration of 5G technology for cellular models, in addition to [abc]Wi-Fi[/abc] 4, [abc]Bluetooth[/abc] 5.3 and a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for ultra-precise location tracking.
Availability announced for September 18. Indicative price: from 449 euros.
Reminder of the key features of the Apple Watch Series 12:
• Case sizes: 42 mm or 46 mm
• Materials: aluminum, titanium or ceramic
• Display: always-on Retina wide-angle LTPO3 OLED, brightness up to 2,000 nits
• Screen protection: Ceramic Shield 2 (Aluminum) or sapphire glass (Titanium, Ceramic)
• Processor: S11 chip (64-bit dual-core) with 4-core Neural Engine
• Artificial Intelligence: Apple Intelligence integration
• Health sensors: high-frequency health tracking system, electrical sensor (ECG), oxymeter, temperature sensor
• Medical tracking: hypertension notifications, sleep apnea detection, Readiness app, Sleep Score
• Safety: fall detection, crash detection, international emergency calling
• Connectivity: 5G (RedCap) on Cellular models, Wi-Fi 4, [abc]Bluetooth[/abc] 5.3, second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB)
• Water resistance: water resistant up to 50 meters (Iso 22810:2010) and dust resistant (IP6X)
• Internal storage: 64 GB
• Battery life: up to 24 hours in normal use (38 hours in Eco mode)
• Fast charging: 80% in 30 minutes